Process for the production of uranium hexafluoride

A method for the production of UF.sub.6 comprising reacting UF.sub.4 with air or oxygen at a temperature of 500.degree. to 700.degree.C in the presence of a catalyst selected from the group consisting of platinum, ruthenium, palladium, rhodium, osmium, iridium, gold, silver, nickel, copper oxide, cobalt oxide, platinum oxide and palladium oxide either unsupported or on a support selected from the group consisting of alumina, magnesia, silica, calcium fluoride and barium sulphate, reducing a by-product of the reaction (UO.sub.2 F.sub.2) in the presence of the same catalyst with hydrogen at 400.degree. to 600.degree.C and reacting the reduction product (UO.sub.2) with hydrogen fluoride in the presence of the same catalyst at 400.degree. to 600.degree.C to produce UF.sub.4 which is recycled for further reaction to produce UF.sub.6.

A method for the production of UO.sub.2 comprising reacting UO.sub.2 F.sub.2 with hydrogen at a temperature of 400.degree. to 600.degree.C in the presence of a catalyst selected from the group consisting of platinum, ruthenium, palladium, rhodium, iridium, gold, silver, nickel, copper oxide, cobalt oxide, platinum oxide and palladium oxide either unsupported or on a support selected from the group consisting of alumina, magnesia, silica, calcium fluoride and barium sulphate.

A method for the production of UF.sub.4 comprising reacting UO.sub.2 with hydrogen fluoride at a temperature of 400.degree. to 600.degree.C in the presence of a catalyst selected from the group consisting of platinum, ruthenium, palladium, rhodium, iridium, gold, silver, nickel, copper oxide, cobalt oxide, platinum oxide and palladium oxide either unsupported or on a support selected from the group consisting of alumina, magnesia, silica, calcium fluoride and barium sulphate.

A method for the production of UO.sub.2 comprising reacting UO.sub.3 with hydrogen at a temperature of 400.degree. to 600.degree.C in the presence of a catalyst selected from the group consisting of platinum, ruthenium, palladium, rhodium, iridium, gold, silver, nickel, copper oxide, cobalt oxide, platinum oxide and palladium oxide either unsupported or on a support selected from the group consisting of alumina, magnesia, silica, calcium fluoride and barium sulphate.

A method for the production of UF.sub.6 comprising reacting UF.sub.4 with air or oxygen at a temperature of 500.degree. to 700.degree.C in the presence of a catalyst selected from the group consisting of platinum, ruthenium, palladium, rhodium, osmium, iridium, gold, silver, nickel, copper oxide, cobalt oxide, platinum oxide and palladium oxide either unsupported or on a support selected from the group consisting of alumina, magnesia, silica, calcium fluoride and barium sulphate, reducing a by-product of the reaction (UO.sub.2 F.sub.2) and fresh UO.sub.3 with hydrogen in the presence of the same catalyst at 400.degree. to 600.degree.C, and hydrofluorinating the resulting mixture of solids in the presence of the same catalyst at 400.degree. to 600.degree.C to produce UF.sub.4 which is recycled for further reaction to produce UF.sub.6.